FAFSA Verification Requirements Updated for 2026-2027 School Year
Published Date: 11/26/2025
Notice
Summary
If you’re applying for federal student aid for the 2026-2027 school year, some of your FAFSA info might need to be double-checked by your school. Most tax info will come straight from the IRS and can’t be changed or verified, but if IRS data isn’t available, you’ll have to enter it yourself and it might get verified. This update helps make the process smoother and keeps your aid on track!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Manual FAFSA Entries May Be Verified
If the Department cannot obtain IRS data for an applicant for the 2026-2027 award year, the applicant must manually enter the necessary tax information on the FAFSA form. That manually entered information may be subject to verification by the institution.
Selected Applicants Must Provide Documentation
For 2026-2027, if the Secretary selects you for verification your Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) will include flags showing selection and a verification tracking group that lists the FAFSA items that need verification. The FAFSA Submission Summary will tell you to contact your school, and institutions may require the acceptable documentation listed in the notice charts and under 34 CFR 668.57 to complete verification.
IRS Tax Data Is Locked on FAFSA
For the 2026-2027 award year, tax return information from the Internal Revenue Service (including information from a spouse and/or parents) will come directly from the IRS and cannot be viewed or edited on the FAFSA. IRS data that is transferred and used in Pell Grant eligibility determinations and/or the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation is not subject to verification under the notice.
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Key Dates
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